[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 128 (Monday, July 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36477-36478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17820]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Environmental Impact Statement on New Rochelle Intermodal 
Transportation Center Project, New Rochelle, New York

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, and as implemented by the 
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-
1508) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations under 23 CFR 
Part 771, the FTA and the Westchester County Department of 
Transportation (WCDOT) intend to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) to assess the impacts of a project known as the New 
Rochelle Intermodal Transportation Center. The EIS will also comply 
with the requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) and 
Executive Order 12898 on Environmental Justice.
    The project consists of a proposed multi-level garage and other 
vehicular and pedestrian circulation improvements to be constructed on 
the site of the existing at-grade parking lot along the southbound 
Metro-North railroad tracks at the New Rochelle Train Station in New 
Rochelle (Westchester County), New York. The proposed project is 
intended to be financed through FTA and local funding sources. The 
project is being administered by the City of New Rochelle (City) 
Department of Development on behalf of WCDOT.
    The proposed garage and station site redesign are intended to 
better serve Metro-North and Amtrak train operations, Westchester 
County bus service, taxi and private bus operations, and commuters 
parking at the station, and improve pedestrian and vehicle circulation. 
The proposed project includes a new 1,000-space parking structure, 
improved vehicular and pedestrian circulation, bicycle storage, and 
separate taxi, bus, and auto passenger pick up/drop off areas. The 
project will be designed to be in character with the New Rochelle train 
station building on the project site.
    In addition to assessing the proposed intermodal center, the EIS 
will evaluate the No Build alternative and any other reasonable 
alternatives determined through the scoping process. Scoping will occur 
both through correspondence with interested persons, organizations, and 
federal, state, and local agencies and through a public meeting.
    Involved agencies may include: National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation (Amtrak), New York State Thruway Authority, Metro-North 
Railroad (MTA), and New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

DATES: Comment Due Date: Written comments on the scope of alternatives 
and impacts to be considered should be sent to the City of New Rochelle 
by and will be accepted by the Department up to thirty days following 
the close of the public scoping meeting. Oral comments may be given at 
the scoping meeting. Scoping Meeting: A public scoping meeting will be 
held on Tuesday, July 21, 1998, 8:00 PM, in City Hall, 515 North 
Avenue, New Rochelle, NY.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the project scope should be sent to Mark 
Stellato, City of New Rochelle, Department of Development, New Rochelle 
City Hall, 515 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anthony G. Carr, Director, Planning 
and Program Development, Federal Transit Administration, at 212-264-
8162.

SUPPLEMENATRY INFORMATION:

Scoping

    The FTA is initiating a scoping process for the purpose of 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the EIS. All 
interested individuals, organizations, and Federal, State, and local 
agencies are invited to participate in identifying any significant 
social, economic, and environmental issues related to the proposed 
project and defining the alternatives to be evaluated in the EIS. A 
draft Scoping Document describing the purpose of the project and impact 
issues is being mailed to affected Federal, State, and local agencies 
as well as interested parties. Copies of the draft Scoping Document may 
be obtained from Mark Stellato, City of New Rochelle Department of 
Development at (914) 654-2191.
    Following a presentation on the project, comments on the scope of 
the EIS will be received and transcribed at this meeting. Scoping 
comments may be submitted at the public scoping meeting and/or 
submitted in writing at the address listed above. It is important that 
interested parties and Federal, State, and local agencies take this 
opportunity to identify environmental concerns that should be addressed 
in the EIS. Further, because the preliminary design components of the 
New Rochelle Intermodal Transportation Center Project are currently 
being formulated and refined, the scoping process offers an opportunity 
to incorporate public environmental concerns into the urban design and 
engineering processes of the project.

Description of Study Area and Project Need

    The proposed action (New Rochelle Intermodal Transportation Center) 
includes the construction of a 1,000-space, multi-level parking garage 
on the site of the existing New Rochelle train station as well as the 
reconfiguration and redesign of the train station site to

[[Page 36478]]

create an intermodal transportation center. The New Rochelle train 
station is located in the central business district of the City of New 
Rochelle, Westchester County, New York. The station site is bordered on 
the north by the New England Section (I-95) of the New York State 
Thruway; on the south by Metro-North's New Haven Division; on the east 
by North Avenue, and on the west by Division Street. It is a major 
commuter stop along the MTA Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Division 
as well as Amtrak's New England Express, Springfield, and Vermont 
lines. In addition, the New Rochelle station will be the only stop in 
Westchester for Amtrak's high speed Northeast Corridor service between 
Washington, DC and Boston, Massachusetts. The station is also a hub for 
the County's Bee-Line bus service.
    The City, the New York State Department of Transportation, and 
WCDOT will consolidate to the maximum extent feasible various 
transportation services into a single intermodal hub adjacent to the 
train station building. The overall goals and objectives of this 
project are to provide a convenient, secure, operationally efficient 
transportation center which considers internal circulation, site 
access, user friendliness, bus pick up and drop-off areas, commuter 
parking, ADA access, taxi layover, kiss-and-ride, and pedestrian as 
well as bicycle access.

Alternatives

    The EIS will evaluate reasonable alternatives that will assist in 
achieving the objectives of the New Rochelle Intermodal Transportation 
Center Project. Alternatives to be analyzed would include a No Build 
Alternative under which no change to the New Rochelle Station would 
occur. Other alternatives to be considered would be developed during 
the scoping and public comment period and could include design 
alternatives.

Probable Effects/Potential Impacts for Analysis

    The EIS will evaluate all potential significant social, economic, 
and environmental impacts of the alternatives. Primary issues include 
traffic and transportation, air quality, noise, and the landmark-
eligibility of the Train Station Building. Both positive and negative 
impacts will be evaluated for the construction period and for the long 
term period of operation. Measures to mitigate adverse impacts will be 
identified, where reasonable and appropriate. The Build year for the 
proposed project is anticipated to be 2001.

FTA and State Procedures

    The EIS process will be conducted in accordance with the 
regulations and guidance established by NEPA, as well as FTA's 
regulations under 23 CFR 771 and associated guidance documents.
    Following the completion of the scoping process, a draft EIS will 
be prepared and made available for public review. There will be a 45-
day public comment period and public hearing on the draft EIS. After 
its publication and the public hearing, a final EIS will be prepared 
with appropriate revisions and additions responding to all substantive 
comments received. The final EIS will serve as the basis for a Record 
of Decision issued on the proposed action.
    Because the proposed action also includes actions by New York 
State, county, and local agencies, it will also be assessed in 
accordance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act 
(SEQRA). The City of New Rochelle will serve as the lead agency for 
SEQRA documentation. The content and format of the Federal EIS will be 
designed to also meet the requirements of SEQRA for the action. All 
time frames, public notices, public hearings, and comment periods will 
be coordinated in accordance with both NEPA and SEQRA requirements.

    Issued on: June 30, 1998.
Letitia Thompson,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-17820 Filed 7-2-98; 8:45 am]
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